# Something for a newbie????



## drneves7 (Nov 21, 2006)

I am not one to drink straight liquor. But I know a lot of s/botl like to drink such things as brandy. Any suggestions for something relatively easy to drink so maybe I can aquire a taste for such drinks. I have also never had a port what is it?

Thanks 
Dominic


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## Warhorse545 (Oct 16, 2005)

Why worry about starting. Aint got to drink to enjoy a cigar. 







Stacey


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

reeks of that everybody else likes it so I must
makes me think of those inane threads about what box should I buy, cause of course what the masses like I will....people never just try shit for themselves to see what they like, lets just follow the crowd!


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## DriftyGypsy (May 24, 2006)

Let's see when I smoke I drink...
Coffee
Sierra Mist/Sprite/7-Up/Ginger Ale
Water
Rum
Irish Whiskey
Port
Red Wine
White Wine
Port
Beer
Ale
Nothing...

You do not have to drink to enjoy a cigar, sometimes a drink will destroy the taste of the cigar. Each and every persons tastes are different. Whisky, Whiskey, Rum, Brandy and Port stuff like that you either like or not. Personally I cannot stand Scotch Whisky, I think that Irish Whiskey is much better. But, then you will hear others extolling the virtues of Bourbon Whiskey or Jack Daniels. We can tell you what WE like but not what YOU are going to like. So, my advie is to go to the local liquor store and buy a bottle of something, then the next time buy something else, that is if you want to drink. Personally I an take it or leave it... until it comes to Santa Teresa...


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## RETSF (Dec 7, 2006)

Trooper.....everything Goes With A Cigar, John Wayne Style "black" Coffee Or Dark Rum Goes Great With A Maduro. Both Are Dark And Rich In Flavor. With Lighter Flavored Food Or Drink You Migt Want A Light To Medium Bodied Cigar.


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## Puffin Fresh (Nov 1, 2006)

Port is a type of red wine if I am not mistaken. Sweeter than Cab but still in the wine family.


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## muziq (Mar 14, 2005)

drneves7 said:


> I am not one to drink straight liquor. But I know a lot of s/botl like to drink such things as brandy. Any suggestions for something relatively easy to drink so maybe I can aquire a taste for such drinks. I have also never had a port what is it?
> 
> Thanks
> Dominic


Hey Dominic,

If you're located in a place that has nicer bars that either allows smoking or has a patio where you can smoke, hit it up a few times and try some of the things others have listed here. Don't spend a lot of money buying bottles or stuff yet, unless it's those little sample bottles that fit in your pocket. Take your fav cigar(s) and see if anything strikes your fancy. Whiskey, rum, brandy, cognac, scotch--these are all good to try. However, you may find that a good cup of coffee or tea is the perfect compliment for your tastes. The only thing you really need to remember is to *enjoy yourself.* :w


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## blawmt (Dec 12, 2006)

> Port is a type of red wine if I am not mistaken. Sweeter than Cab but still in the wine family.


Port and Sherry are what is known as a fortified wine. Port and sherry are sweet wines however they have a higher alcohol content because they are fortified with distilled grape extracts. My personal opinion is port pairs nicely with a cigar. In fact Fonseca started as a port manufacturer, which says a little about a good pairing. Like the guys said experiment, for me nothing is better than a nice single malt on the rocks. I also enjoy MM, Knob Creek, 1792, and Woodford Bourbons.


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## replicant_argent (May 13, 2006)

PaulMac said:


> reeks of that everybody else likes it so I must
> makes me think of those inane threads about what box should I buy, cause of course what the masses like I will....people never just try shit for themselves to see what they like, lets just follow the crowd!


Tell us what you really think.....


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## drneves7 (Nov 21, 2006)

PaulMac said:


> reeks of that everybody else likes it so I must
> makes me think of those inane threads about what box should I buy, cause of course what the masses like I will....people never just try shit for themselves to see what they like, lets just follow the crowd!


:bx OUCH!!! Yeah I can see how you can get that from this post. Not what I was trying to get at. I like to drink beer and the occassional rum and coke. I am just trying to find something that I could sip on instead of drink with a cigar. Especially the longer ones. I was just hopeing to get a suggestion or two because as was stated by someone else I don't want to go by a bottle take a sip and never drink it again.

Unfortunetly I live in CA a very anti smoking state so not very many bars you can smoke in.

I guess I should have been a little more specific. So here it goes. I love drinking ales with my cigars. I haven't tried drinking red wine with a cigar which I love red wines also. Here is what I can't stand wiskey such as Jack Daniels or Jim Beam not sure which kind of whiskey these are. I guess what I am looking for is a brandy, port, or sometype of hard alcohol I can sip on the rocks. Just like starting with cigars I am looking for something on the mild side nor too expensive. I just have never ventured to this side of drinks.
And just looking for someplace to start.

And no I am not trying to be like everybody else. I am just trying to enjoy life just a little bit more thats all. :al

Thanks
Dominic


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## drneves7 (Nov 21, 2006)

blawmt said:


> Port and Sherry are what is known as a fortified wine. Port and sherry are sweet wines however they have a higher alcohol content because they are fortified with distilled grape extracts. My personal opinion is port pairs nicely with a cigar. In fact Fonseca started as a port manufacturer, which says a little about a good pairing. Like the guys said experiment, for me nothing is better than a nice single malt on the rocks. I also enjoy MM, Knob Creek, 1792, and Woodford Bourbons.


Thanks this good info, a port definetly sounds up my alley. Does a bottle of port last longer than a bottle of wine. Because that is my problem with red wine is I don't drink the bottle fast enough. I always seem to forget about it after a glass or two.

Thanks Dominic


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## blawmt (Dec 12, 2006)

Yes and no. A fine port "should be" consumed within 24 hours. It isn't bacteria that harms the wine it is oxidation, I say this because a lot of people blame bacteria. If you cannot finish the bottle put it in the fridge, this will slow the oxidation process (also other things that are dependent on chemical reactions). However my taste buds are not developed enough to detect the differences unless the bottle is like a week old. A fine port can cost hundreds of dollars, some must be aged after you purchase them. For my money the best balance between price and flavor is a late bottle vintage port (LBV or Late Vintage on label), a vintage port that was left in cask longer than the vintage due to lack of demand. These are usualy very good and cost less than $35.00. A grocery store port will not be bad (don't tell any port people I said this) but the flavor will be less developed (and may have a near undetectable twang). Hope this helps and by the way port is a slippery slope completly seperate from wine.


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## gvarsity (Dec 12, 2006)

Jim Beam and Jack Daniels are Bourbons (Jack is specifcally a sour mash Whiskey not really a Bourbon another sub genus but doesn't really matter in the big picture usually considered a Bourbon). I happen to really enjoy sipping a nice vodka on the rocks sometimes with a twist of lemon myself if I want to drink alcohol. Partly because I find them refreshing and cooling if the cigar is a little hot. 
Some good ones 
Luksusowa is a top Polish Tradional potato vodka and it's cheap in the US because very few people have heard of it. 
The tradionals Stolichnaya and Smirinoff. They may get lost in the preimium Vodka craze but they are standbys for a reason. Smirinoff was James Bonds original martini vodka of choice.
As for other types of sipping drinks. 
I recommend Evan Williams single barrel. It is a bourbon and you don't like Jack and Jim but this is very different. Much much smoother, more complicated flavors you can taste. Lots of carmel, butter, hints of spice varies by vintage. It is also 22$ ish a bottle about the same as a bottle of Jack. 

Another thing to consider is an anjeo (aged) rum. Again much richer and smoother than your typical silver or even dark unaged rum. Bacardi makes a nice anjeo as do most of the other private estates. These will be sweeter than a bourbon whiskey. A tradition in cigar manufacturing countries/regions.
Whatever you do enjoy. Experiment change it up. Go back again and get second opinions as your tastes change and evolve. I used to hate whiskey particularly single malts now they are my drink of choice. Still I am now looking at blended whiskeys to expand my options. One last thought sometimes the best drink with a cigar is a cool glass of water.


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## Twill413 (Jul 19, 2006)

I will drink just about anything fermented from a nice $12 for a 30 pack of beer right on down the line to distilled jet fuel. Also such high end spirits like Kettle One and Grey Goose (Thanks to my dad having them in his liquor cabinet). When I am in the mood for something not too complicated that I just want to sip on, I reach for my trusty bottle of brandy. E & J or Christian Brothers brandy goes pretty good on the rocks for sipping. If it is still too strong you can add a dash of water, which I like to do on a hot day. This won't break the bank either, with both bottles coming in @ less than $20 for a 1.75 liter bottle at my grocery store liquor dept. Other than that, I have had everything you can think of to drink with a cigar, and coffee and tea are a couple of my favs. As a matter of fact I really like a minty tea that I paired with a cameroon wrapper.


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## volfan (Jul 15, 2006)

I think you should try some Fonseca Bin 27 or Taylor Fladgate First Estate Reserve Port for a great entry level Porto (around $20). My niece is in sales for a alcohol distributor in Columbia SC and she told me to try Jonesy which is a Port (not a Porto since it is not from Portugal) from Australia or New Zealand that runs about $12 and got very high marks from one of the wine magazines (parker jones I think).

I also recently got hooked on aged rums. You can try Pyrat XO (by the people that distribute Patron) which is pretty good, but there are a few Rum Review sites that will give you more information. Try www.ministryofrum.com for some good information. Whatever you do, do not buy any diplomatico rum (I am afraid that there may be a shortage).

As for brandy, I have a friend that does not like the strong taste of brandy and he mixes it with diet Sprite and swears by it when he has a cigar.

All in all, you really need to just experiment. I usually prefer a diet Sierra Mist or coffee with my cigars but I also enjoy cigars more in the morning/lunchtime than I do later on in the day.

scottie


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

volfan said:


> I think you should try some Fonseca Bin 27 or Taylor Fladgate First Estate Reserve Port for a great entry level Porto (around $20). My niece is in sales for a alcohol distributor in Columbia SC and she told me to try Jonesy which is a Port (not a Porto since it is not from Portugal) from Australia or New Zealand that runs about $12 and got very high marks from one of the wine magazines (parker jones I think).


:tpd: 
I think it was Robert Parker who gave it a 93 but it seems ratings get a bit skewed with this sort of wine. Volfan offered some great suggestions, I suspect the porto inparticular will be a good starting point. I buy the Bin 27 regularly myself since it even fits into the budget of a poor college student but retains some of the granduer of the more expensive stuff.

Like many others said, have fun experimenting!


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## volfan (Jul 15, 2006)

TU09 said:


> :tpd:
> I think it was Robert Parker who gave it a 93 but it seems ratings get a bit skewed with this sort of wine. Volfan offered some great suggestions, I suspect the porto inparticular will be a good starting point. I buy the Bin 27 regularly myself since it even fits into the budget of a poor college student but retains some of the granduer of the more expensive stuff.
> 
> Like many others said, have fun experimenting!


Sorry, I should have known it was Robert Parker but for $12, you can't go wrong trying it. If it isn't what you like, use the rest of the bottle to make a really good beef roast or stew.

scottie


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## drneves7 (Nov 21, 2006)

Thanks for all the responses. Well I just got hit with the flu. So it'll be few days till I recover. But once I do I think I will give a port a try and I think maybe a rum. But we shall see.

Thanks 
Dominic


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## vince321-cl (Oct 21, 2006)

Remember, when you start drinking the hard stuff, neat or on the rocks, don't gulp it. Small sips will help build your taste until you can handle a heavier dose. Many people are initally turned off by a good scotch and I think the reason is they gulp it instead of small sips.

Hope this helps.


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## drneves7 (Nov 21, 2006)

vince321 said:


> Remember, when you start drinking the hard stuff, neat or on the rocks, don't gulp it. Small sips will help build your taste until you can handle a heavier dose. Many people are initally turned off by a good scotch and I think the reason is they gulp it instead of small sips.
> 
> Hope this helps.


Yup this is what I am looking for is something to sip. I always end up drinking 3-4 bottles of beer. So I want something a little slower. And I think thats my problem is when I was younger and dumber we drank the hard stuff to get drunk, we slammed everthing. Probably the reason I have a problem with whiskey.

Dominic


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## scotton (Dec 18, 2006)

Gotta go with the Blue Sock here.


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## billybarue (Mar 20, 2006)

Scotch, Brandy, Cognac are my preferences with cigars. Most especially scotch.

My Dad was a scotch drinker and to acquire the taste I of course cut it - ice cubes or water. To make it even more palatable, you might try a drink called the "rusty nail" - half Drambuie (sweet scotch liquer) and half scotch on the rocks. Please don't make it with a good single malt though - sacriledge.

I would get a good quality blended scotch to start with. My recommendation would be Chivas. I find, in general, the blended whiskies are smoother than the single malts. You also won't feel guilty if you use it in your rusty nail.

I still drink blends, and an occasional rusty nail, but ultimately you will come to appreciate the single malts. 

Don't discount Bourbons and Irish Whiskies either. But the above might get you into Scotch - FWIW.

Merry Christmas,

BillyBarue


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## Ernesto Fan (Dec 7, 2006)

Had some 100 year old Port the other day at wine tasting... wow, great stuff.

I like Courvoisier Cognac the best so far with a cigar (something with a nice big smoke plume).


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## drneves7 (Nov 21, 2006)

Going to my Uncles tonight who has a very nice and very expensive liquor and wine selection.:dr 

Here's my chance to explore.

Merry Christmas

Dominic


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